Bilbao and Northern Spain, September 2024

Bilbao Arrival Day

I arrived in the morning and took the convenient city bus to the center of Bilbao. I got off the bus just after we came out of a tunnel, saw the Guggenheim Museum, and crossed a big bridge. If you can believe it, I was standing in front of my hotel. It is well-located in the Abando neighborhood.

Since I had six nights in this cool hotel, I unpacked and settled in. I took a walk near the Guggenheim, along the river, and through a park. I ate my first pintxos (pronounced “peen-chose”). I finally bought some Euros and got a good reminder from the gal at the Bureau de Change to watch my belongings. There are pickpockets here in Spain.

Bilbao reminds me of Pittsburgh. The rivers, the bridges, the art, the weather, and the green mountains all around Bilbao are a lot like Steel City.

Santander Day

I had given myself enough time in Bilbao to explore northern Spain. Theoretically, it fits the bill for me to stay longer term in the area. The weather is cooler in summer, it has good transportation connections, and it’s near both the mountains and the beaches of the Atlantic.

My first venture out of Bilbao was to Santander. It’s a coastal city and it’s about 90 minutes from Bilbao. I noticed that there was very little of the Basque language in use compared to Bilbao. I fully support the Basque people, their autonomy, and their right to self-determination, but I’m challenged enough by learning Spanish, so the thought of learning a completely new language is overwhelming.

The ride on the lovely Alsa luxury coach was stunningly beautiful. There were farms, green hills, sweeping vistas of rivers flowing into the Atlantic, and cute villages every 5 or ten miles.

In Santander, I wandered through the city – it was a Sunday during siesta – and down to the riverfront. I visited a great museum called Centro Botin. I stopped for a meal at a fun street and music festival. It was just ramping up and after a heavy rainstorm in the late afternoon, I’m not sure it was going to get the Sunday action it was planning on. I returned on the bus to Bilbao and arrived just at the moment both the rainstorm had ended and a futbol match was ending in the stadium next to the bus station. The collective cheers of the fans in the stadium made a huge sound.

I walked back to my hotel and relaxed.

Bilbao Guggenheim and Food Tour Day

I found a most wonderful café on the next block from my hotel called Charamel. The owner spoke English and encouraged me to try their breakfast of crispy baked-in-the-café bread with olive oil and tomato puree. It was divine. There’s an open kitchen with the baker fully at work mixing, melting, frosting, and kneading.

My pre-purchased ticket to the Guggenheim Museum was at noon. Like so many people, I was awestruck at the building itself. It’s along the Nerviön river and as I learned from an extraordinary film at the entrance, was built on a sight that was previously heavy industry. The transformation to the public park, river walk, and art icon is mindblowing. The Guggenheim was designed by Canadian-born, American designer and architect Frank Gehry. Inside, it was hard to take your eyes off the views of the city, mountains, river, the angles the building makes of itself, and the sculptures that were outside. The art inside is modern and contemporary. The exhibition by Japanese artist Nara was great. The metal sculptures were incredible. The pop-art was fun. There were whole galleries that looked like practice in nursery school. But what do I know? I waited to get into a special immersive experience, but the flashing lights and weirdness made me come right back out before the door closed behind me.

Later I had my pintxos and drinks tour with Airbnb Experiences. I met at the appointed time and place with 12 others plus our guide Jack, who was raised in Newport, CA to a Spanish mother and an American father. He moved to Bilbao 12 years ago. The people on the tour were fun. Four Americans flew in from Jew Jersey that morning. Three Australians were in from Alicante. An Irish ship captain and his wife were visiting from Cork. They had taken the ferry over bringing their car so they could fill it with Spanish wine on the return trip. Aldo, from Mexico City, was visiting after a surf camp on the coast. He’s an insurance guy living in Paris. We went to five places and tried their best pintxos and drinks.

We had white wine, red wine, cider poured from above to add bubbles, and a mixed drink that was delicious. Pintxos are not tapas, served in other parts of Spain. Tapas are like olives or cheese served to share among the table. Pintxos are larger, more elaborate, and are for one person only. They are almost always served on a crusty slice of bread.

We learned about the history of the Basque people and their self-governing. So I’m in the nation of Spain, but also in the country of Euskadi. The Basque were never conquered by the Romans, the Moors, or the Visigoths, which is why their language is not related to any other. They were brutalized during the Franco dictatorship and after a lot of bloodshed, they now run the place. They collect and use their own taxes. They run the schools and local government. They are happy to do all that and still be part of the EU. The Cataláns over near Barcelona are not so happy and are taking note of the Basques’ achievements.

The people on the tour were so fun that we stayed on at the last bar and had a giant, refreshing gin and tonic, talking for another three hours.

San Sebastion Day

So that fun evening the night before led to a groggy but fun day in San Sebastián. I had trouble finding a bus but a seat opened up on the one at 8:30 am. I dragged myself there and napped on the bus to the famous beach town with extra delicious pintxos.

I arrived at the station and walked up a long ramp (it seemed like The Silo from Apple TV+), I was at the river which was really low, due to a low tide, I presumed.

It was too early for the shops to be opened so I just wandered around a little bit, got something to eat, and made my way to one of the prettiest beaches I’ve ever seen. They had nice bathrooms, lockers, and showers under the adjacent boardwalk. The sand was pristine. It had been smoothed out overnight and people were raking it, I guess to pick up any litter and make it look nice.

The water was a nice temperature and lots of people were walking in the shallow surf, swimming, and kayaking around.

I finished my walk and read a little on a bench in a sort of ocean-viewing park. Then I walked to the old part of San Sebastián looking for pintxos. They all looked delicious. I tried a few out. I liked them and even tried some of the “best” according to the various guides, but I think I preferred the pintxos in Bilbao.

I am getting bored with my clothes and the weather is cooling off, so I did a little shopping at – where else? – Zara and another shop with lots of things on sale. There is a Zara, a Spanish chain, literally EVERYWHERE. There are small ones and big ones. In big towns and small towns.

I napped all the way back to Bilboa and ate some healthy food from El Corte Ingles.

Bilbao Laundry and Fine Art Museum Day

I’m staying in a hotel, not an Airbnb, so my ability to eat healthier and do my laundry is challenged. But after a few days of washing out my clothes in the sink in my bathroom, I found a great laundromat comically close to my hotel. It was E9 for a wash and dry of one load, but that included soap, which is added automatically at the right time in the wash cycle.

During the middle of the day, I did some travel planning and caught up with the writing and photos for this blog.

Later I took a walk to the Museum of Fine Art. I liked the building and the art of Spanish painters who were experimenting with Impressionism.

Another Relaxing Day and I Took Yoga for the First Time in Spanish!

I’m resting up for my trip to Portugal. I need some days to relax and recover from over a month of touring already. I want to see what it feels like to live in Spain. Also, I need time to do my banking, fight with my terrible health insurance company in the US, and book future travel.

So, after some of that, I took a cool walk down to the river and walked across the Zubizuri Zubia footbridge. See the photos. It was very cool.

I wandered around the old town and found a Flying Tiger store. These are a Danish chain store and they sell all kinds of stuff. I bought a pencil case since mine was ripped, a personal fan, some cable ties, and a bottle of water. It’s definitely a fun place with oddly useful stuff.

I found a second-hand clothing store and now that I found the laundromat, I feel better about buying clothes that need a good wash before I’ll wear them. I found a tee shirt for E2.25 and a sweater for E4.50.

Then I attended a yoga class. It was my first in a few years and my first ever in Spanish. The teacher was really nice and I understood about half of what she said. My point is to learn Spanish and it was interesting to hear her say words for parts of the body, which I know, and how to move them, which I know less of. I heard, “Respira” a lot, which means to breathe.

Last Day in Bilbao

A sunny day! I had to take advantage of that. I wanted to see more of the beaches and the coast. Would you believe that the metro goes to the beach towns near Bilbao? So amazingly easy!

I rode the red line out to the little towns of Plentzia and Gorliz. I walked through both towns easily from the last stop on the metro. I walked on the beach and looked at the special layered rocks that geologists study there. I’d love to see more of the coast, but I think I’d need a car. I rode the metro back to Bilboa, finishing up some shopping. I did some laundry, packed, and went for a little nostalgic walking tour of Bilbao and finished up with some pintxos and a caña (a small beer).

I love Bilbao, I love the beaches, and the small, low-key towns. The weather is mild, the scenery is outstanding, and Bilbao Airport has the connectivity I need in a small, efficient airport.

Off to Portugal!

Santander

Bilbao and The Guggenheim Museum

San Sebastion